TA 1 
A533 
1839 



\X-v-^^iL^u. oAr^AlXAi b^ VaAtOL, IH^ 



^v- 






^otnn^ 



ov 






k 




Class 
Book- 



CONSTITUTION 



PROPOSED FOR 



THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, 



PROCEEDINGS 



IN REFERENCE TO THE SAME. 



0«( / APRIL, 1839 



^©®®v 



PHILADELPHIA: 

PRINTED BY JOHN C. CLARK, GO DOCK STREET. 

1839. 






\ 



s^°^ 



PROCEEDINGS OF CONVENTION. 



At a Convention of Civil Engineers of the United States, 
which met in Baltimore on the 11th' of February 1839, in 
pursuance of a call from a highly respectable meeting of mem- 
bers of the profession in Augusta, Georgia, the following re- 
solutions were adopted. 

1. Resolved, That the Convention now proceed to the elec- 
tion of a committee of seventeen, to prepare and adopt a 
Constitution, and form a Society of Civil Engineers of the 
United States; and that in the opinion of this Convention, the 
said committee should be so selected, that all the different por- 
tions of the Union may be represented in it, so far as is prac- 
ticable. 

2. Resolved, That the committee meet at the Hall of the 
Franklin Institute, in Philadelphia, on the second Wednes- 
day in April next, and that five of them constitute a quorum 
for the transaction of business, but that a majority of the 
seventeen expressing their assent by letter or otherwise, be 
required to adopt the Constitution. 

The following gentlemen were then elected to form the 
committee. The name of Benjamin Wright, who was unani- 
mously elected, being, by a resolution of the Convention, 
placed at the head of the list, and the remainder in alphabeti- 
cal order. 

BENJAMIN WRIGHT, of New York. 

WILLIAM S. CAMPBELL, of Florida. 

CLAUDE CROZET, of Virginia. 

W. M. C. FAIRFAX, of Virginia. 

C. B. FISK, of Maryland. 

EDWARD F. GAY, of Pennsylvania. 



WALTER GWYNN, of N. Carolina. 

J. B. JERVIS, of New York. 

JONATHAN KNIGHT, of Maryland. 
BENJAMIN H. LATROBE, of Maryland. 

W. a. MCNEILL, of S. Carolina. 

EDWARD MILLER, of Pennsylvania. 

MONCURE ROBINSON, of Virginia. 

J. EDGAR THOMSON, of Georgia. 

ISAAC TRIMBLE, of Maryland. 

SYLVESTER WELCH, of Kentucky. 

G. W. WHISTLER, of Connecticut. 

In pursuance of the above proceedings, the committee met 
at the Hall of the Franklin Institute in the City of Philadel- 
phia on the 10th of April 1839, and was organized by calling 
Benjamin Wright to the Chair, and appointing Edward 
Miller, Secretary. 

After much interesting discussion and deliberation, two- 
thirds of those present approved of a form of Constitution, 
and signed the following paper. 

Hall of the Franklin Institute, 

Philadelphia, April 12th, 1839. 

The undersigned, members of the Committee of Seventeen 
appointed at the Convention of Civil Engineers, which met 
in Baltimore on the 11th of February last, assembled at the 
appointed time and place, and duly deliberated upon the sub- 
ject of a Constitution for the proposed Society. 

They recommend to the remaining members of the com- 
mittee who were not able to attend the meeting, the adoption 
of the form which accompanies this circular, and respectfully 
request them, as soon as practicable, to notify the Secretary 
of the meeting of their approval or disapproval of the same. 

Benjamin Wright, of New York. 

William S. Campbell, of Florida. 

Charles B. Fisk, of Maryland. 

Edw. Miller, of Pennsylvania. 



It is believed that the provisions of the Constitution pro- 
posed, meet the views of Mr. Moncure Robinson, who was 
consulted in regard to them, although circumstances prevented 
him from being present at the meetings of the committee. 

Letters from Sylvester Welch of Kentucky, B. H. La- 
trobe of Maryland, and John B. Jervis of New York, were 
then read, approving of the objects of the committee, and re- 
gretting the circumstances which prevented their attendance. 

Resolutions of thanks to the INIanagers of the Franklin Insti- 
tute, and to the President and Secretar}^ of the Committee 
were adopted, after which the meeting adjourned sine die. 

Benjamin Wright, Chairman. 
Edw. Miller, Secretary. 



CONSTITUTION. 



SECTION I. 

1. This Association shall be entitled "The American 
Society of Civil Engineers." 

2. It has been instituted for the collection and diffusion of 
professional knowledge, the advancement of mechanical phi- 
losophy, and the elevation of the character and standing of 
the Civil Engineers of the United States. 

SECTION II. 

1. The Society shall consist of three classes, viz. Members, 
Associates, and Honorary Members. 

2. Members shall be persons who are or have been en- 
gaged in the practice of a Civil Engineer. 

3. Associates shall be Architects, eminent Machinists, and 
others, whose pursuits constitute branches of Engineering, 
but who are not Engineers by profession. 

4. Honorary Members shall be persons who are not en- 
gaged in the practice of a Civil Engineer in this country, but 
are men eminent for science. The number of this class shall 
be limited to twenty-five. 

5. The officers of the Society shall be a President, Vice 
President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, 
Treasurer, and a Council. &f yyi\t^vwij^i\/j 

6. The President, Council, Recording Secretary, and Trea- 
surer, shall be elected annually by the Society, and shall be 
re-eligible. 

7. The Vice President and the Corresponding Secretary, 
shall be annually chosen by the Council from its own number. 

8. All the officers of the Society, with the exception of the 
Recording Secretary and Treasurer, shall be chosen from the 



8 

class of members only. These officers need not belong to 
any of the classes. The duties of the Recording Secretary 
and Treasurer may be united in the same person, if the So- 
ciety think proper. 

9. If the elections should not occur at the time specified by 
the Constitution, the officers of the preceding year shall be 
continued until an election takes place. 

SECTION III. 

1. All elections shall be determined by ballot. 

2. In order to become a member or associate of the Society, 
it is necessary to be proposed by three members, agreeably to 
a form given in the by-laws, wherein must be inserted the 
christian name, surname, and usual residence of the person 
proposed. His qualifications shall also be distinctly specified 
in such a manner, as to enable the members and associates 
generally to judge of his eligibility. The three members 
proposing him, shall also certify their personal knowledge of 
the candidate. 

3. Every person proposed as an honorary member must 
be recommended by at least five members, who shall certify 
that he is a person eminent for science. 

4. Every recommendation of a candidate must be delivered 
to the Recording Secretary at least four months before the 
session, and it shall then be the duty of the Recording Secre- 
tary immediately to inform each member of the Council, by 
letter, of all the nominations which have been made, in order 
that due inquiry may be instituted, whether the individuals 
proposed are suitable persons to be balloted for, and also for 
which class of membership they should be presented to the 
Society. 

5. When the Council approves the recommendation of any 
candidate, the proposition shall be signed by the chairman of 
the Council, and it shall then be read at the first meeting of 
the annual session. 

6. The ballot shall take place on the next day but one after 
that on which the candidate is proposed, and the proportion 



of votes requisite for the election of any person into either 
class, shall be at least three-fourths of the persons present 
having a right to vote. Five black balls given in person, or 
in virtue of a written proxy, specifying the particular case 
under consideration, shall at all times be sufiicient to prevent 
a person from being elected to any class of membership. 

7. At the request of two members present, a ballot shall be 
postponed until the following session, but not longer. 

8. In case of the non-election of any person balloted for, 
no notice thereof shall be taken in the minutes. 

9. At the elections of members, none but members shall be 
permitted to vote. At the elections of associates and honor- 
ary members, both members and associates may vote. 

10. A second ballot shall be granted at the same meeting, 
if immediately requested by three of the members present. 

11. Whenever any person is elected a member or associate, 
the Recording Secretary shall immediately inform him of the 
same by letter, according to the form given in the by-laws. 
The election of honorary members shall be communicated to 
them as soon as possible, by a letter from the Corresponding 
Secretary, suitable to each particular case; and no person 
shall be considered as an honorary member, unless he signi- 
fies within twelve months his acquiescence in the election, 
after which he shall have all the rights and privileges of a 
member not forbidden by this Constitution. 

12. Every person elected a member or associate, shall pay 
his admittance fee and first annual contribution within three 
months of the day of his election, otherwise his election will 
be void. 

13. Every member and associate elected, shall be required 
to sign this Constitution, at the first meeting of the Society 
which he shall attend, subsequently to paying his admittance 
fee and first annual contribution. He shall then be introduced 
to the Society by the President or chairman of the meeting; 
and from that time shall be entitled to all the privileges of 
membership appertaining to the class to which he has been 
chosen. 



10 

14. If at any time there shall appear cause for the expulsion 
of any member, associate, or honorary member, a proposition 
to that effect signed by two members, shall be handed to the 
Council, who may lay it before the Society if they think pro- 
per, at any time during the session, with a report on the sub- 
ject. At the next meeting but one after that on which the 
report of the Council has been read, the question with regard to 
the expulsion shall come before the Society; and if one-half of 
the members present agree that such member or associate be 
expelled, the President, or other officer or member in the 
chair, shall announce the fact accordingly, and the Recording 
Secretary shall forthwith communicate the same to such mem- 
ber or associate, according to the form given in the by-laws. 

SECTION IV. 

1. The President, Council, Recording Secretary and Trea- 
surer, shall be elected on the second Wednesday in Septem- 
ber, and a majority of the members present shall be necessary 
to elect any officer. 

2. All persons to be eligible as officers of the Society, must 
be nominated on the preceding day, i. e. on the first day of 
the session. 

SECTION V. 

1. The contribution of each member shall be twenty dol- 
lars per annum; of each associate, fifteen dollars per annum. 
The first contribution shall be payable at the time of election, 
and every future payment shall become due in advance, on 
the first day of September. 

2. New members and associates shall pay the sum of twen- 
ty dollars as an admission fee. 

3. Every member and associate, is required to produce to 
the Society, at least one unpublished communication in each 
year, or present a scientific book, map, plan or model, not 
already in possession of the Society, under a penalty of ten 
dollars. 

4. Every member and associate shall be considered as be- 
longing to the Society, and as such, liable to the payment of 



11 

his annual contribution, until he has either forfeited his claim, 
or has signified to the Recording Secretary in writing, his 
desire to resign, when his name shall be erased from the list 
of members, provided his dues have been fully paid up. 

5. Whenever any member or associate shall be two years 
in arrear in the payment of his annual contribution, the Re- 
cording Secretary shall send to such member or associate a 
letter of the form specified in the by-laws. And if the arrears 
shall not be paid within six months after the forwarding of 
said letter, the name of the member or associate so offending 
shall be publicly suspended in the hall of the Society, to- 
gether with the amount of contribution due by him; and such 
member or associate shall not enjoy any of the privileges and 
advantages of his membership until his arrears be fully paid. 

SECTION VI. 
1. The President shall take the chair at all meetings of the 
Society at which he shall be present, and shall regulate and 
keep order in the proceedings. He shall likewise state and 
put questions according to the sense and intention of the 
meeting, and carry into effect the regulations of the Society. 

SECTION VII. 

1. In the absence of the President, it shall be the duty of 
the Vice-President to preside at the meetings; but in case of 
the absence of both President and Vice-President, the mem- 
bers present may elect any one of their number to take the 
chair at that meeting. 

SECTION VIII. 

1. The direction and management of the affairs of the So- 
ciety shall be confided to a Council. 

2. The Council shall meet at the hall of the Society, at 7 
o'clock, P. M., on the first Tuesday in September, and hold 
adjourned meetings at such times as they please throughout 
the session. At any meeting of the Council, three members 
thereof shall constitute a quorum. All questions shall be de- 



12 

cided in Council by vote; but at the desire of any two mem- 
bers present, the determination of any subject shall be post- 
poned to the succeeding meeting. 

3. It shall be the duty of the Council to draw up an annual 
account of the state of the funds of the Society, and of the 
receipts and expenditures of the past year, which, together 
with a report on the state of the institution, in which shall be 
given an abstract of all the proceedings, shall be read at the 
first meeting of the annual session. 

4. The Council shall have the power when a majority of 
their number consider the enactment of any new by-law or 
the alteration or repeal of an existing one necessary, to pro- 
pose the same to the Society, and if, after three days' notice 
given, a majority of the members present approve of the pro- 
position, it shall be considered confirmed. 

5. No by-law shall be made, altered or repealed, except in 
the manner above designated. 

6. It shall be the duty of the Council to appoint special 
committees to investigate subjects of professional interest, and 
report at or before the next session of the Society. They 
may also request a member or associate to furnish to the So- 
ciety a description or drawings of any important work exe- 
cuted by him. 

7. When the Society determine to publish their Transac- 
tions, it shall be the duty of the Council to select from the 
materials in the possession of the Society, such as they deem 
most suitable for the purpose, to arrange and edit them, and 
superintend the progress of publication. 

SECTION IX. 

1. The Corresponding Secretary shall hold such corres- 
pondence as Council may deem necessary, (either with mem- 
bers of the Society or others,) in order to elicit facts and ad- 
vance the objects and interests of the Society. 

SECTION X. 
' 1. The duties of the Recording Secretary shall be to attend 



13 

the meetings of the Society and Council, to take minutes of 
all their proceedings, and enter them in their proper books; 
to read the minutes of the preceding meeting; to announce 
any donations made to the Society; to give notice of any can- 
didate proposed for admission or to be balloted for; to read 
the letters and papers presented to the Society, in the order 
of time in which they were received, unless the Council shall 
otherwise determine; to keep the accounts of the Society; to 
take care of their books, papers, plans and all other property; 
to collect all moneys due to the Society, and deposite them in 
bank, to the credit of the Treasurer; to pay all dues of the 
Society; and to lay all accounts of the sums so paid and re- 
ceived before the Council. 

2. During the sessions of the Society, the Recording Secre- 
tary shall have assistance in the performance of his duties, if 
the Council shall deem it necessary. 

SECTION XI. 

1. The Treasurer shall be a resident of the City of Phila- 
delphia. All moneys belonging to the institution shall be 
deposited in his hands. No sum of money shall be paid by 
him except in pursuance of an order from the Recording 
Secretary, and if amounting to twenty dollars and upwards, 
the draft must be endorsed by two members of the Council. 

2. All surplus funds in the hands of the Treasurer, shall be 
under the direction of Council, annually invested as an in- 
creasing fund for the use and advantage of the institution. 

3. The Treasurer shall furnish a correct statement of all 
his accounts to the Council, at their first annual meeting. 

SECTION XII. 

1. The Society shall hold one session in each year in the 
City of Philadelphia. Twelve members shall constitute a 
quorum at any meeting. Until the Society obtains a hall 
of its own, the Council shall designate previously to each ses- 
sion the place where the meetings shall be held. 

2. The annual session shall commence on the second Tues- 



14 

day in September, at seven o'clock, P. M., and be adjourned, 
from time to time, until the business before the Society is 
completed. 

3. The first business of the session shall be to receive and 
deliberate upon the Report of Council on the state of the So- 
ciety, to nominate and elect officers for the ensuing year, and 
to ballot for the candidates approved by the Council. 

SECTION XIII. 

1. No alteration of this Constitution shall be made except 
at a special general meeting, at which only the class of mem- 
bers shall be present. At any time during the session of the 
Society, a meeting shall be called for such purpose by the 
Council, upon the written requisition of ten members or asso- 
ciates, specifying the nature of the proposed alteration. Three 
days' notice of such meeting shall be given. No other busi- 
ness shall be transacted at such special meeting than that for 
which it was called, and two-thirds of the votes of all the 
members of the Society, given affirmatively either in person 
or by proxy, shall be necessary, in order to alter, amend, add 
to or diminish, any part of this Constitution. 

SECTION XIV. 

1. The whole of the property and effects of the Society of 
what kind soever, shall be vested in the Council for the time 
being, to be held in trust for its use. 

2. Every paper, map, plan or drawing which may be pre- 
sented to the Society, shall be considered the property there- 
of, unless there shall have been a previous arrangement to the 
contrary. 

3. No person shall publish any communication belonging 
to the Society, without the previous consent of the Council, 
given in accordance with such regulations as the Society may 
from time to time adopt. 

4. No books, papers, plans, maps, models, or other proper- 
ty of a similar character, belonging to the Society, shall be 
taken from the hall; but every member, honorary member, 



15 

and associate, shall have a right at all seasonable hours to in- 
spect the same, and to make extracts and copies therefrom at 
his own expense, for his own use. 

5. Every member, associate, and honorary member shall 
have the privilege of introducing visiters to be present at the 
public business of the Society, and of taking them into the 
hall while the Society is not in session,- on writing their 
names and his own in a book to be provided for that purpose; 
and these persons shall be permitted to read and examine the 
papers, books, plans, &c. of the Society, in the presence of the 
Recording Secretary, but they can on no pretence be permit- 
ted to make copies of the same. 

SECTION XV. 

1. The Secretary of the preliminary meeting, at which this 
Constitution was drawn up, shall remain the Secretary of the 
Society until the first meeting fixed by the Constitution, or 
until an election of ofiicers takes place; and it shall be his 
duty to have this document, and the proceedings of the meet- 
ing at which it was prepared, printed, and sent as soon as 
possible to all the members of the committee of seventeen ap- 
pointed at the Baltimore Convention, accompanied by letters, 
requesting an early acknowledgment, and an approval or dis- 
approval of the same. If a majority of the committee ap- 
prove, it shall be considered adopted. 

SECTION XVI. 

1. The Society of Civil Engineers which is to meet under 
this Constitution, in the City of Philadelphia, on the second 
Tuesday in September, 1839, shall be composed of such of the 
following forty gentlemen, as on or before the 1st day of Sep- 
tember, signify their acceptance, and pay to the Secretary 
their admittance fee and first annual contribution. As soon 
as possible, after it shall be ascertained that a majority of the 
committee of seventeen have adopted the Constitution, it shall 
be the duty of the Secretary to notify all the members of the 
fact, and to urge their attendance at the September session. 



7 



16 



Original Committee of Seventeen. 
Benjamin Wright, B. H. Latrobe, 



William S. Campbell, 
Claude Crozet, 
W. M. C. Fairfax, 
Charles B. Fisk, 
Ewd. F. Gay, 
Walter Gwynn, 
John B. Jervis, 
Jonathan Knight, 



W. a M'Neill, 
Edward Miller, 
Moncure Robinson, 
J. Edgar Thomson, 
Isaac Trimble, 
Sylvester Welch, 
G. W. Whistler. 



Horatio Allen, 
Benjamin Aycrigg, 
William Cooke, 
A. A. Dexter, 
E. A. Douglass, 
Charles Ellet, Jun. 
T. M. Fessenden, 

C. F. M. Garnett, 

D. Griffin, 

John H. Hopkins, 
James Hunter, 
S. H. Kneass, 



Members added. 

S. H. Long, 



S. W. Mifflin, 
S. W. Roberts, 
Wirt Robinson, 
C. B. Shaw, 
Antes Snyder, 
M. R. St^ley, 
A. Talcott, 
Ashbel Welch, 
W. Hasell Wilson, 
W. C. Young. 



.BAp'OS 



||f|}n,J|n,!^I,,£f,..9PNGRESS 



,0 019 928 355 8 



